Results 12,481-12,500 of 50,151 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Reports (29 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: Deputy Paul Murphy raised the issue of the bonus for healthcare workers. Again, the Government has given the resources to do this to the Department of Health and HSE. These are major employers but I am anxious that the front-line workers are suitably provided for with the €1,000 payment we have agreed. The Government decided this and the implementation is about to begin. There has...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Urban Development (29 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 7 to 9, inclusive, together. The Mulvey report, Dublin North East Inner City - Creating a Brighter Future, was commissioned by the Government and published in February 2017. It contained recommendations for the social and economic regeneration of Dublin's north-east inner city. This report has been supplemented by the publishing of the North East Inner...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Reports (29 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 6, inclusive, together. My Department's annual report for 2021 will be finalised and published in the coming months and will set out the work of my Department in 2021 to deliver on the strategic priorities set out in the Departments three-year statement of strategy. My Department continues to work at the centre to ensure that policies developed...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: I will follow that up with the Minister. I have noted that if you stay in here long enough, you will get a good geography lesson across every county and town in Ireland. I take the point the Deputy makes seriously and will follow through on it. The Healy-Rae syndrome is beginning to-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy. The key issue with housing is supply. We simply need to get more houses built more quickly. That is key to dealing with the housing crisis. Regarding HAP, there are different rates across the country. They are not all uniform and the cities have much higher levels of rent, unfortunately, which have necessitated more flexibility around HAP payments. I will talk to the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: I will talk to the Minister on enforcement. Enforcement is being increased across wildlife and habitat protection. I agree we have to have a stronger focus on protecting habitat and biodiversity. There is no question about that. It is under enormous threat across the country and it cannot be business as usual.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Government has taken measures to help and to alleviate the pressures on the sector. As I said earlier, we cannot do everything. There are limits to what governments can do and they cannot 100% compensate every situation. We have to bear that in mind. We are conscious of the impact of the war, the issues arising from supply chain difficulties and inflationary pressures. We have to...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: I know, but, unfortunately, the impacts of this will be longer term than we might have anticipated.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: To deal with Deputy Carthy first, the Government wants to keep the pig industry going. It is a good industry in terms of viability and had been doing well. Some market distortions arose. There is a perfect storm at the moment with the war in Ukraine. We have taken initial steps to assist the industry. The Minister, Deputy McConalogue, is in constant engagement with the farming...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: First, my understanding is the HSE and the Department are in ongoing consultation with the health sector trade unions to finalise the application of this measure. It is intended that the payments process will be instructed to commence this week. The Government has committed very significant resources. The Government wants to do this. We are not holding back at all. I will engage again...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. A plan of action is being implemented by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to meet the challenges of this increased demand and to reduce the processing time, which has built up recently, as the Deputy said. Staffing actions include recruitment of additional permanent and temporary staff which will increase the permanent processing...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: I can tell the Deputy we will look after it. I am pressing very strongly. I will make sure the next time I am down there that I will get on it.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this on behalf of the 60 families in Henry Street. I certainly will ask the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to intervene. As the Deputy said, this behaviour is not tolerable and should not be tolerated in this day and age. I will ask the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, with the RTB, to intervene.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy has raised this issue consistently and correctly. I will follow that up with the Minister concerned and get an answer for him as quickly as I can.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Government is committed to public housing. In particular, 12,000 is the target for 2022, 9,000 of which will be built. That would be the highest ever and we are on line to achieve that in 2022. On the referendum, the commission on housing which has been established has established a sub-committee chaired by Ailbhe O'Neill, a barrister with extensive experience working in...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: As the Deputy knows, the Government more broadly has moved to reduce excise and VAT on energy products in the last package. We have also taken specific measures for hauliers and have a separate tillage initiative related to the growth of protein crops, grain and mixed-species swards. The Deputy is talking about the horticultural sector, in essence. As I have said, the Government has taken...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. The Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, in the Department of Transport will be engaging with Dublin Airport in respect of this. There are issues with recruitment. Notwithstanding all the challenges facing the economy, the reality is we have never had so many people employed. We have had real challenges with...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: We will be taking this issue up with the British Government. The Minister for Foreign Affairs has already discussed it with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. It is my understanding that the Secretary of State is committed to putting the legislation in place but not until after the election. I will say that the commitments that have been given in respect of the language Act...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: The Minister is working on that. I can confirm that we will endeavour to have a debate on that next week and I have asked the Chief Whip to follow up on that. On having a debate on both the pigmeat sector or a debate on the war in Yemen, I have to say to the Deputies that there is more Private Members' time available in this Dáil than in previous Dáileanna. There is therefore...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Mar 2022)

Micheál Martin: ----- in Private Members' time. There is Topical Issues as well. We need to balance legislation-----